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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28491942">If You Lick It, It's Yours</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/NovaZeroZero/pseuds/NovaZeroZero'>NovaZeroZero</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>citrus - サブロウタ | citrus - Saburouta</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, New Year's Eve in Citrusland, additional MeiYuzu in the background, if you read between the lines..., kind of suggestive themes, tiny dom-tsuri if you squint hard enough</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-20 12:21:27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,623</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28491942</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/NovaZeroZero/pseuds/NovaZeroZero</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The four friends visit a shrine at New Year's Eve. Matsuri madness ensues. Kind of. She does cute stuff "ironically".</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Mizusawa Matsuri/Taniguchi Harumi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>65</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>If You Lick It, It's Yours</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Not going to include a full description of how japanese spend their holidays, did a lot of googling and if you're interested, just google "japanese new year traditions" and you're on board. </p><p>The fortune/blessing slips/pieces of paper mentioned are called <em>omikuji</em> and if you get a bad one (yes, you can get a really bad one...) you need to 'leave it behind' and tie it up to these stands or walls they have at the shrines (or apparently trees work too) and doing this with your left (or undominant, not sure) hand is good luck. I don't generally know how superstitious or religious young people are so I tried to approach this very neutrally. There's a tradition and ceremony how to visit shrines but I didn't include a long description of this since it's probably quite mundane to the characters and the focus was on the story not the setting. </p><p>Wow, I can't do short descriptions for the life of me.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I got the slips!” Yuzu announced cheerily when she returned to Mei and Harumi, still waiting by the gates to the shrine. This was a meticulously planned small trip to the edges of the city Yuzu had been planning for weeks. It was finally New Year’s Eve and everyone had agreed to meet there at 10pm after their family dinners. “Oh, Matsuri isn’t here yet?”</p><p>“No, she left me on read on my last message. That was half an hour ago,” Harumi said and glanced at the direction of the nearest train station for what seemed like the hundredth time. Her manicured nails tapped nervously against the phone screen she held in her hands. It wasn’t unusual for Matsuri to be late, but it made Harumi nervous nonetheless. Keeping everyone waiting in the chilly night wasn’t exactly polite either, especially without an explanation. </p><p>“I can try to call her, I’m sure she just missed the train.” Yuzu pushed the slips from her hands to Mei and dug up her phone. </p><p>Harumi bit her cheek and let out an annoyed huff. “She’s always late, I’m so tired of always waiting for her in sketchy--” with the curious look Yuzu gave her, she immediately realized she might have said too much. </p><p>Yuzu lost interest in finding Matsuri’s number from her contact list. “Wait for her in sketchy -what, exactly? I didn’t know you two hang out without us that much.” </p><p>“Well, you’ve been busy so I didn’t want to bother you. There was something Matsuri needed, uh, <em> help with </em>, so we’ve met a few times.” Harumi knew she was talking herself to a corner, she didn’t like lying to her friend and a certain promise she had made to Matsuri was starting to get her irritated. They all went to the same university, it would have been difficult to keep secrets for too long from her best friend. </p><p>A dark sedan stopped near the sidewalk and had it not been the flash of pink hair peeking behind the back seat door that opened, nobody would have paid the car any attention. Many cars pulled over, it was the New Year after all and many people visited the shrine. </p><p>It took Harumi a few seconds to reach the car in half run, Matsuri met her with a huge grin spread across her face. She slammed the door shut and the car left. “Missed me?” </p><p>“Why didn’t you tell us you’d be late?” Harumi asked, riled up. “Do you have any idea how long we’ve been waiting?!”</p><p>“And miss out on a chance to see you all flustered like this, not a chance.” Matsuri glanced at the direction of the others and waved. “And I had a good reason to be late this time too. I missed the train and it took some convincing to get my mom to drive me all the way here.” </p><p>“Whatever, I’m not the one you need to apologize to. C’mon,” Harumi said and dragged Matsuri towards the others. </p><p>“This is my fault, really. I chose this shrine because I didn’t want to go to the busy popular ones closer to the centrum.” Yuzu waved off Matsuri’s tardiness. “So, how do you want to share the fortunes? We each pick one at random?” </p><p>Mei offered the slips unsure what she should do with them. Before anyone could say or agree with the plan, Matsuri grabbed one on the left. </p><p>“I’ll take this one.” </p><p>“Wait, you can’t just pick one before we decide how we share them,” Harumi said frustrated. </p><p>Matsuri raised the piece of paper on her mouth and licked it. “Now it’s mine. Or do you still want it?” </p><p>Harumi frowned and took a slip from Mei’s hand. “I don’t want your bad luck, thank you very much.” </p><p>“You choose ours, Mei. I leave my fate in your hands,” Yuzu uttered melodramatically. </p><p>Matsuri rolled her eyes. “Ugh, you guys are so gross.” But after noticing Mei’s discomfort she quickly added. “But it’s good to see the fruits of <em> my </em> labor flourish, so please, continue.” </p><p>“<em> Your </em> labor?” Harumi chuckled. “I just remember a certain best friend being there for the other, in their time of need.” </p><p>“Could we just agree you both helped?” Yuzu asked, trying to resolve the argument. She kept eyeing the small crowd around them in the well-lit shrine. “So, should we go further? There’s more people than what I anticipated, we might have to wait in line for a while.” </p><p>“Uh, can you two go ahead and save us a spot in the line? I need a word with Matsuri.” Harumi gave Yuzu a look she hoped her friend would understand. Yuzu nodded and gestured to Mei they should go and leave the bickering friends alone for a while. </p><p>Harumi waited until she was sure they were out of the ear shot. “Okay, do we have to do this your way?”</p><p>“You promised.” Matsuri gave her a serious stare. “And you know what the alternative is, so I would play nice if I were you.” </p><p>Harumi felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment with just the thought. “Fine. I just hate keeping secrets from Yuzucchi, she’s my best friend. Just promise me, you’ll do whatever it is you're planning <em> tonight. </em>” </p><p>“Oh, it’s happening tonight, for sure. Just remember, you need to play along, no matter what I ask of you,” Matsuri grinned. </p><p>“I’m not going to jump into a fountain or do anything like that, you know? The deal is off if this gets too weird. I’ll tell them myself and find another way to deal with the other thing.” </p><p>“Who do you take me for? Why would I ask you to do something like that?” Matsuri feigned hurt. </p><p>Harumi shifted her weight nervously. “I don’t know. You have strange cravings sometimes.” </p><p>“Oh? Like the armpit thing?” Matsuri asked, knowing she would get a reaction from the brunette.</p><p><em> “Do not mention the armpit thing in public, you little--” </em> Harumi hissed with her face turning bright red. “I swear, I’ll <em> kill </em> you.” </p><p>Matsuri snickered loudly. “I know, I know. Chill, I’m just messing with you.” </p><p>Harumi felt the disapproving looks the bystanders were giving them so she ushered Matsuri to join Mei and Yuzu. The line had not formed too long, there was a young couple standing behind them and Mei insisted to give their spot to the couple when their friends finally joined. The line moved forward slowly and Harumi was expecting Matsuri to start her goofs but none came before each of them had paid their respects and rejoined close to the wall filled with the fortune slips. </p><p>“You were awfully decent back there, ‘tsuri. I was expecting you to cause a scene or something,” Harumi said, still on the edge waiting for something to happen. </p><p>“I am not a brute. There’s a time and a place for everything, besides, now you know I <em> can </em> behave if I want to.” Matsuri gave Harumi a small nudge, referring to their secret pact. </p><p>Yuzu, seemingly oblivious to her friends’ mischiefs, turned to everyone excited. “Okay, time to open our fortunes. Who goes first?” </p><p>“Harumi-senpai,” Matsuri said and Harumi felt a tinge of red rising to her cheeks again.</p><p>“Did you change my slip, somehow?” Harumi asked. She was now sure there was something fishy going on. </p><p>“And how would I have done that exactly? You’ve had it on you the whole time.” </p><p>“I don’t know, when we were standing in the line and I put it in my pocket?” Harumi tried to examine the slip she had taken out to see if there was anything strange on it. </p><p>“I swear I didn’t touch your fortune, just open it.” Matsuri stared at Harumi and it made her nervous. </p><p>She unfolded the piece of paper suspiciously. “Great, I knew you had your hand on this.” </p><p>“What does it say?” Matsuri tried to take a peek of the paper but Harumi pulled it away. </p><p>“It’s a curse of illness, but I guess you already knew that.” Harumi still kept the paper out of reach. “Didn’t think you were so eager to get rid of me.” </p><p>“I didn’t do anything! Here,” Matsuri dug up her own slip and shoved it to Harumi’s face. “See how crooked it is, because I licked it.”</p><p>“Iew, get that off my face. Okay, fine. Say you didn’t change the fortunes, why did you want me to go first?” </p><p>“No reason. Just tie it on the fence, here, I’ll help.” Matsuri took Harumi’s hand and guided her towards the wall. </p><p>“I don’t need help, I know how to tie a blessing.” </p><p>“Pfft, I’ve seen your knots. You have nothing to flex about,” Matsuri casually remarked and earned herself a deep meaningful stare from Harumi. </p><p><em> “I will kill you, I swear…” </em>the brunette hissed between her teeth as quietly as she could with her face glowing red. She was grateful for being dragged to the fence, at least the others didn’t see her heavy blushing.</p><p>“Oh, c’mon. Those two are so <em> pure </em> they don’t have a clue what we’re talking about. You know I like to tease you and I know you <em> like it. </em>” Matsuri kept holding Harumi’s hand and gave it a light squeeze. </p><p>“I need my hand back, can’t really tie a knot with one hand.” Harumi said, trying to keep calm.</p><p>“I said I’d help. Here, use mine.” Matsuri extended her right arm and they managed to eventually tie the slip together. “There you go, bad luck erased.” </p><p>Harumi would have enjoyed this goofy activity if they came to the shrine alone. She glanced around her shoulder and saw Yuzu staring at them with a puzzled look. She turned back to Matsuri. “Was this it? Can we tell them now?” </p><p>“Tell us what?” Yuzu’s beaming face appeared between them. </p>
<hr/><p>“Okay, time to open our fortunes. Who goes first?” Yuzu asked and looked around. Harumi seemed somehow even more on the edge now that Matsuri was here. Yuzu had noticed something was off when they arrived but never had a chance to ask her friend what was going on. It was the nervous fidgeting and awkward silent moments, earlier she thought it was because Mei was around. Yuzu didn’t want her friend to feel like the third wheel so she tried to include her but it proved difficult. </p><p>“Harumi-senpai,” Matsuri announced. Yuzu snapped out of her thoughts when the two started their bickering again. Even for those two, this was somehow different behavior from the usual. She barely paid attention to what they were saying when she noticed Mei had already opened her fortune. </p><p>“I thought we would do this together,” Yuzu pointed out.</p><p>Mei merely shrugged. “They seem occupied, I thought you noticed.” </p><p>Yuzu watched as her friend was being dragged over to the wall and turned back to Mei. “Right… Something’s wrong, I can tell. But, what did you get?” </p><p>Mei showed her slip with <em> ‘future blessing for business’ </em> and Yuzu smiled. Her loved one seemed content with her blessing for the year, at least it seemed she didn’t need to worry about her finances while being married to Aihara Mei. </p><p>“So, you’ll buy me a pretty dress?” Yuzu tried to crack a joke.</p><p>“It says <em> ‘future’ </em>, could be ten years from now. Do you need to borrow money?” Mei asked with a serious face. “I thought you earned enough from your part-time job.” </p><p>“Ah, never mind.” Yuzu sighed and knew Harumi would have thought it was a funny thing to say. She glanced at her friend again who was in the process of tying the slip to the fence. The two were holding hands while working the paper together. Harumi turned to look at Yuzu and as a good friend she interpreted this as a cry for help. She decided it was time to intervene and approached them. </p><p><em> “...Can we tell them now?” </em> Yuzu overheard Harumi’s question. </p><p>“Tell us what?” Yuzu poked her head between the two. </p><p>“That Harumi will live a healthy curse-free life.” Matsuri answered quickly. Yuzu heard Harumi  mutter <em> “So, I guess ‘no’” </em>under her breath. </p><p>“You got a curse?” Yuzu turned to her friend. </p><p>“Uh-huh. What’d you get?”</p><p>“I don’t know yet. Mei got future work-related fortune. Figures… I was hoping for something more romantic, she didn’t even agree to buy me a dress.” Yuzu sighed.</p><p>“Of course you deserve a dress, many in fact, especially if you stay home to watch the kids,” Harumi comforted her friend. </p><p>“What kids?” Mei appeared behind Yuzu who worried she might freak out, even if it was a joke. </p><p>“Harumi is just kidding, no kids.” Yuzu hurried to explain. She tried to change the subject and opened her slip. “Okay, let’s see what I have… Blessing with my studies! I needed one, <em> badly. </em>”</p><p>“You’ve been slacking off, I can vouch for that.” Harumi added, clearly in higher spirits now. </p><p>Maybe interrupting the two was a good idea, Yuzu made a mental note to keep an eye on Matsuri for the rest of the evening. She glanced at the paper in her hands again and felt guilty for ditching so many morning classes. Compared to Aihara Academy, college seemed almost ridiculously lax with attendance rules. </p><p>“Aren’t you going to tie your slips to the wall?” Matsuri asked curiously. “Oh, right, I still have mine too.” </p><p>Yuzu watched as Matsuri unfolded her paper. Disappointed, she noticed Matsuri got the one she would have wanted. </p><p>“Oy, it’s a romantic one!” Matsuri said victoriously. “Maybe I’m not such bad luck after all.” </p><p>Yuzu pouted while Matsuri tied hers to the fence. “I wanted a romantic one, unfair.” </p><p>“How’s that unfair? You have Mei, for all you know, Matsuri has no one.” Harumi suddenly blurted out and caught everyone’s attention. </p><p>Matsuri grabbed Harumi’s cheek playfully. “Aww, senpai is standing up for me. The blessing is working already.” </p><p>Yuzu was struggling to find words, she realized her wish had been selfish. “I just wanted… I mean, well… you know what I mean?” She had shared endless discussions with Harumi about how she wanted Mei to be more affectionate so she wished Harumi would understand that she hadn’t meant anything malicious with her words. </p><p>“I know what you meant, Matsuri can be a piece of work sometimes but she deserves to be loved as much as anyone else.” </p><p>“I didn’t mean she doesn’t deserve it. I’m sorry, Matsuri, if I hurt your feelings.” </p><p>“You didn’t.” Matsuri poked her tongue out and Yuzu felt more at ease. “Senpai, would you hold my hand?” </p><p>Yuzu watched Harumi who looked like she wanted to say something but settled for Matsuri’s request without objections. Still holding hands, the two started to move towards the gates. Yuzu noticed she was the only one who hadn’t tied her paper down yet. </p><p>“Wait for me!” She yelled and quickly wrapped the slip unceremoniously with the dozens of other slips and followed the others. </p>
<hr/><p>“There’s a spot here where we can still hear the bells and if you listen carefully, you can hear the other shrines too.” Yuzu was jumping ahead, dragging Mei along with her. </p><p>Harumi glanced at her friend and was amazed how someone had so much energy. Matsuri still hadn’t done anything too dramatic, aside from the hand holding, the evening had gone really well. Harumi refused to relax however, she knew they still hadn’t announced their news yet and as it was up to her companion to do so, she was getting anxious for what was still to come. </p><p>“We came here last year and it was so magical.” Yuzu continued her explanation. “And last year there wasn’t anyone around either. Just me and Mei.” </p><p>“Bleurgh, I hope my good fortune this year doesn’t mean I’ll turn into a sappy like you two.” Matsuri threw a snarky remark and Harumi couldn’t repress her smile. </p><p>“You’re a bit sappy sometimes, you know,” she added quietly. “And don’t try to tell me all the stunts you pulled on our first date were only jokes.” </p><p>“Ah, the things one does for love. I had an ulterior motive, which I managed to achieve too, mind you.” Matsuri shot back.</p><p>Harumi cursed herself for bringing up their first date, of course it would be used against her. She had given Matsuri everything and probably more than she had expected to get, but she had no regrets. It just made her feel so unfamiliarly fuzzy just thinking about it and she couldn’t stop herself from smiling like an idiot in love whenever she was reminded of it. </p><p>They had apparently reached the spot when Yuzu had stopped next to a railing and was leaning against it. Harumi moved closer to the railing and looked down. “Whoa, I didn’t know we were so high up. How long till midnight?” </p><p>Matsuri glanced at her phone. “About ten minutes. Are you going to be all lovey-dovey when it hits midnight?” </p><p>“If you mean kissing, we plan to, yes. It’s of Scottish origin and--” Mei started to explain but Matsuri rushed to cut her off.</p><p>“Oh, <em> please </em>, we know. Yuzu has told us the story of your magical New Year’s Eve from last year about a thousand times.” Matsuri scoffed. “Although, your version might have considerably less squealing noises and sappy long pauses just staring into distance.” </p><p>“Probably,” Mei smiled. </p><p>“It was romantic! Harumi agrees with me, don’t you?” Yuzu asked innocently. </p><p>Harumi swallowed and tried hard not to look at Matsuri’s direction. “Sure, Yuzucchi.” </p><p>“So, is there someone senpai would like to kiss at midnight?” Matsuri pried and Harumi instinctively squeezed her hand tighter. So this was how Matsuri wanted to out their relationship to their friends? “Well, yes or no? <em> Answer,” </em> Matsuri said and the commanding tone in her voice got Harumi to blush even harder. </p><p>“Yes,” she answered simply and winced when Yuzu let out a loud scream.</p><p>“WHO IS HE?! Why haven’t you told me?” Yuzu jumped to hug her best friend. “And why did you tell Matsuri <em> before </em> me? Should I be hurt I don’t know about this?” </p><p>“Whoa, hold it. One thing at a time. I can’t tell you who it is yet, for a… good reason.” Harumi felt defeated. She knew she had to wait for Matsuri’s instructions on how to deal with this. </p><p>“Why can’t you tell me?” Yuzu seemed genuinely hurt this time.</p><p>“Just… ask Matsuri. That’s all I can say,” Harumi added and bit her lower lip. </p><p>Yuzu turned to Matsuri with a fierce look. “What are you blackmailing her with? I knew something strange was going on, but for you to deny her gossip with her best friend seems cruel even for you.” </p><p>“Is that a serious gyaru thing? Sorry, I didn’t know…” Matsuri seemed to enjoy the situation a bit too much. “I’ll let her show you herself. Senpai, lick me.” </p><p><em> “What?” </em> Harumi turned to Matsuri in disbelief. </p><p>“If you lick it, it’s yours,” Matsuri grinned widely. </p><p>Harumi barely heard Yuzu’s objections from the pounding the rushing blood caused in her ears. <em> “She’s not going to lick you--” </em> was the only thing she could make of before she bent down and extended her tongue to lick the side of Matsuri’s face. It wasn’t as gross as what she imagined, her skin tasted mostly salty. She had closed her eyes in the process and was now aware everyone was silent and waiting for what would happen next. She felt something wet against her cheek, Matsuri apparently returning the favor before hands were wrapped around her. She opened her eyes and saw a confused Yuzu standing in front of her while Matsuri hovered closer to her ear.</p><p>“Congratulations, you’ve earned yourself one evening of a well-behaving girlfriend. At your disposal, as you wished,” Matsuri whispered in her ear. </p><p>“So, it’s over? I can tell her now?” Harumi asked Matsuri when she detached herself from her arms. </p><p>“Tell me <em> what? </em>” Yuzu was still confused. </p><p>“It’s Matsuri, Yuzu,” Mei tried to explain. </p><p>“Matsuri what?” Yuzu was looking at everyone, it still hadn’t sunk in. </p><p>The bells started sounding from the shrine and around the rest of the city. Harumi looked at Yuzu, then turned her gaze to Matsuri in front of her. She still had the same shit-eating grin spread across her face, same stupid grin Harumi had grown to love so much. </p><p>“She’ll figure it out,” Matsuri said and pulled Harumi into such a passionate kiss it got Harumi embarrassed to do it in front of their friends. </p>
<hr/><p>Harumi almost fell asleep later in the back of Shou’s car. All the tension from before had vanished and she felt peaceful sitting between her best friend and her girlfriend. After a lot of <em> why, when, how, </em>and all the possible questions Yuzu could think of, she finally grasped the fact that Harumi and Matsuri were dating, for real. For some reason, she seemed convinced this was one of Matsuri’s pranks at first and it took a while to convince her it wasn’t. Even Mei joined them trying to get Yuzu’s head around it. </p><p>Even with all the discomfort and anxiety she had experienced that evening, it was worth it. She knew Matsuri would act like a decent human being for one night like she had promised. That night being the one where she would tell about their relationship to her family. She was already at ease with her grandmother who had shown a lot of support for Yuzu’s and Mei’s relationship earlier. And the fact that Matsuri got along disturbingly well with her sister was also making it easier to finally announce their relationship as well. The only possible disaster-worthy factor, Matsuri herself had now been silenced from the equation, so nothing could possibly go wrong, <em> right? </em></p>
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